University of Otago Business School Global Peer Leader AwardStudents were evaluated on the quality of their peer leadership in fostering team creativity, communication, decision making, culture, inclusion, values and performance. They were also assessed for personal qualities such as initiative, empathy and resilience. The journal had to be a great read with rich insights, and the team report had to be good. Team leaders and colleagues needed to recognise their contribution to the team effort.

University of Otago Business School Champion Journal AwardBrenda Mangente – USA Team 8, Eco-Wise Exchange, a market exchange for unspent, underutilised or wasted goods in India

Highly Commended Global LeadersJasmin Mortensen- New Zealand Team 32, Underground Earthbag Structures - a village grain storage system in NigeriaLiam Dennis- New Zealand Team 112, Wisdom Watch - elders sharing lost skills in the USAAnna Hinderwell- New Zealand Team 46, SwiftAlly – aid watch for safety in the Indian building industryTuteremoana Durie– New Zealand

Commitment AwardsMany of our participants impressively committed to their team despite facing tough challenges. We read the stories in their journals, read the admiring comments from team colleagues about them, and checked that the work produced a quality team report. So below are the stories of six extraordinary people who we salute.

Luke Testa, New Zealand, Team 1, LobeLuke suggested the team produce earrings that could sense screaming or a fall that sends out a distress signal with GPS coordinates to family and authorities. The team members doubted such a technology could be made small enough to fit iton earrings. So, Luke approached a technology expert to help him make the electronics and created a working prototype of the earrings. The team was convinced and produced an excellent business proposal.

Ntibeshya Emmanuel, Rwanda, Team 50, Smart CartThe Rwandans face many challenges to contribute to their team effort. They often use their cellphones as their computers or pay high fees to use internet cafes. English is the third language for most students behind French and a local language. None of this daunted Emmanuel. Every team member commented on his enthusiasm and commitment, noting the boost to team morale. Emmanuel to the initiative to visit the Kigeme Refugee Camp to learn about the issues of plastic pollution and interview the refugees. . Tushar Agarwal, India, Team 90, Work the WebTushar was such as force in his team that he was asked to be the co-leader. The team adopted his idea to rent cellphones and wifi in remote Indian villages as enablers of trade with neighbouring cities. Tushar did not speak Bengali, the language of their target market, so he organised a friend who spoke the language to do the market research. Ngaroma Rika, New Zealand, Team 9, Medicinal Herbs in PeruReading Ngaroma’s journal you would never know that she commuted hundreds of kilometres each week to support her family following a tragedy, and yet still led her high performing global team without losing a beat. Ngaroma is all heart – dedicated to the needs of family and colleagues.

Shreejan Bhandari, Nepal, Team 75, Lovely Linen in NepalShreejan was asked to co-lead the team to follow his initiative to recycle clothes for bed linen in Nepal. He took the initiative to visit slums and businesses in Nepal to assess the viability of the business. Like other Nepali participants Shreejan copes with the epileptic power supply and the devastation to every facet of Nepali life following the 2015 earthquake.

Paniz Fazlali, Iran, Team 69, Pollution Face Masks in Nepal Paniz is a Baha’i and, like other Baha’is in Iran, is banned from tertiary study, and runs the risk of imprisonment if caught participating in this contest. Last month Global Enterprise Experience 2011 participant, Aziz Samandari was finally released after five years in prison for the “crimes” of “communicating with foreigners” and getting an education through “an association with the Baha’i Institute of Higher Education”. This is an underground university run by volunteers to provide education for the banned students. It is a powerful story of constructive resilience in the face of severe persecution – the curious may wish to read about it here. Paniz was a valuable member of the successful team that looked at high tech face masks to combat the air pollution in Kathmandu.

Champion Global Leader Academic Excellence AwardPaul Jaspers, HU Business School Utrecht, Netherlands Paul is a visionary and world class academic applying action learning pedagogy to e-learning. Through his work he has promoted peace, inspiration, understanding, and mutual respect across nations. Paul used his education talents to intensively teach 153 Dutch students at his university in The Netherlands to perform to a high standard in this year’s Global Enterprise Experience.

Champion Social Entrepreneur AwardAman Gupta, India, Vision India Foundation To date 9000 students have participated in the Global Enterprise Experience. We searched through these graduates to find an exemplar who has applied social entrepreneurship skills to create a better world. Ama Gupta participated in 2014, then set up the Vision India Foundation – a modern nation-building movement that trains and mentors young talent to improve public policy, governance and institutional frameworks for India. It has impacted 500 Indian youth.

2016

Victoria Business School Team Awards

Teams produced a six-page business concept proposal for a profitable product or service that fosters social cohesion.

University of Otago Business School Journal AwardStudents were evaluated on the quality of their journal as well as comments from colleagues and other evidence about the student’s contribution to the team effort.

University of Otago Business School Champion Journal AwardRwanda – Samson Bisanukuri, member of Team 63 Urban organic waste fertilizer in Rwanda.

Samson managed the myriad challenges of fully participating from Rwanda, was a key contributor to his team, and wrote an excellent journal.

Peer leaders are skilled at supporting the leader or stepping into a leadership vacuum, role modelling creativity, professionalism, strategic thinking, are hard-working, and pick up some of the leadership roles. Evidence for peer leadership came from their journal, invitation to be a peer leader by the team leader, comments from team members in their journals, peer-leadership challenges faced and overcome, and the quality of the team report.

Commitment AwardsThere were many stories of extreme hardship and challenges faced by participants in the Global Enterprise Experience. We admire your courage and determination to participate. In selecting the Commitment Award recipients we checked on the stories to verify them through every means available, and we also selected only those recipients who had clearly contributed to a very high standard to their team. So below are the stories of six extraordinary people who we salute.

Inkindie Silvie, Rwanda, Team 54, Warm WooliesThe Rwandans faced many challenges to contribute to their team effort. They often use their cellphones as their computers or pay high fees to use internet cafes. The contest is run during the Rwandan exam period and during the week where all businesses and the university closes during the morning for commemoration of the devastating genocide in 1993. English is the third language for most students behind French and a local language. In addition to these challenges Sylvie cared for her grandmother who died during the contest. Sylvie was also an invaluable member of the team, undertaking local research, and contributing strongly to the team effort. Her team’s business was a craft venture for the widows and elderly women in Rwanda.

Lin Chen-Hao, New Zealand, Team 83, The Melting PotReading Lin Chen-Hao’s journal you would never know that she spent two weeks of the contest in hospital seriously ill. She performed to such a high standard that her team leader asked her to be a co-leader. Despite her illness she continued to contribute to the team effort.

Olapade Funmilayo, Nigeria, Team 88, Clear WastePower outages over several days meant that Fumliz could only access the team via her cellphone. She travelled back to her hostel without food to write her part of the report on her cellphone. Her team members wrote appreciatively of her efforts for the team.

Paurakh Joshi, Nepal, Team 73, Social Integration for Refugees in Czech RepublicPaurakh was on the move! He was sitting his exams in India, travelling to Nepal to find an internship, and travelled 400km for work. Along the way he maintained high commitment to the team effort.

Pegah Bezrooli, Iran, Team 39, Sustainable Adobe Housing in Nepal Pegah was expelled from Shiraz University because of her faith. She is a Baha’i and, like other Baha’is in Iran, is banned from tertiary study. So she enrolled in architecture in an underground university, the Baha’i Institute of Higher Education (BIHE), run by volunteers in Iran as well as academics from around the world. It is risky – the vice chancellor, academics and students are imprisoned for up to 20 years merely for an association with BIHE and communicating with foreigners. One of our GEE graduates was imprisoned in 2012 and is still serving his sentence. After graduating Pegah went on to do her masters by distance learning from Heriot-Watt University in the United Kingdom. She is passionate about architecture using her skills to set up NGOs and contribute to UN-Habitat. For her Global Enterprise Experience team she showed how low cost adobe buildings could be created with local labour to help Nepal rebuild after the devastating 20105 earthquake.

Champion Global Leader Academic Excellence Award

Pierre Sindambiwe, University of Rwanda, Rwanda Pierre is a passionate academic, determined to lift Rwandan standards to international levels. This year there were 182 Rwandan participants, most of whom were in Pierre’s class. These students all faced tough challenges - and some of them caused challenges. We have other impressive academics in this contest inspiring top performance from their students, but none faced the barrage of issues that Pierre faced. Yet through this he continued to work tirelessly, inspire students, rigorously uphold professional expectations, and leave a lasting impact on students and his university.

Champion Social Entrepreneur Award

Moses Asiimwe, Rwanda and United KingdomTo date 6900 students have participated in the Global Enterprise Experience. We searched through these graduates to find an exemplar who has applied social entrepreneurship skills to create a better world. Moses Asiimwe is the second winner of this award. He has undertaken numerous voluntary roles, including, with colleagues, he set up Young Voice Africa – this is a 12 to 17 year old mentoring and capacity building organization that has impacted the lives of 4,000 youth in Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi. It was awarded the Top 50 Most Innovative Start Ups by the New York Forum Institute. Moses also adapted his team’s Global Enterprise Experience project from 2015 to enable girls to make their own sanitary pads. This project tackles the challenge of girls dropping out of school because of a lack of sanitation options.

University of Otago Business School Journal AwardStudents were evaluated on the quality of their journal as well as comments from colleagues and other evidence about the student’s contribution to the team effort.

University of Otago Business School Champion Journal AwardSouth Africa - Kgotso Makwana, stepped up to leader of Team 53, Energy4U, Hydrogen power for South Africa

Commitment AwardsThere were many stories of extreme hardship and challenges faced by participants in the Global Enterprise Experience. We admire your courage and determination to participate. In selecting the Commitment Award recipients we checked on the stories to verify them through every means available, and we also selected only those recipients who had clearly contributed to a very high standard to their team. So below are the stories of six extraordinary people who we salute.

Asira Khanal, Nepal, Team 52, Phoenix Ceramic FiltersTwo days into the contest, Nepal experienced a mega 7.8 earthquake that devastated Nepal. Asira lost five family members, so she took responsibility for caring for her family through its grief. She actively helped the rescue efforts, while living under a tarpaulin to remain staff from falling masonry during the numerous aftershocks. Electricity and internet connections were absent or scant as the country’s infrastructure struggled to recover. When Asira heard about the unsafe water that was putting lives as risk, she did the research into creating a water filter using traditional ceramic firing that exists in Nepal. This project underpinned the impressive report that won this contest.

Asira was one of 67 Nepali participants who fully participated in their global team while contributing to Nepal’s rescue efforts, living in tents, stranded without power and internet, and facing dozens of aftershocks. Colleagues around the world were in awe of their Nepali members - not only did they show commitment, but in so many cases were the powerhouse of their team, intellectually rigorous, active worker, a creative problem solver, gracious team member, and humble. Below are the names of these exceptional Nepalis who have all earned a Commitment Award:

Aurora Myers, United States, Team 29, Grow-Your-Own Spirulina KitsAurora is passionate about food nutrition and food security in the developing world. She sent her journal in from Nicaragua where she visited to explore how she could use her talents and the ideas developed by her and her team to add nutrition to the diet of Nicaraguans.

Dalphine Netty Tagwireyi, Zimbabwe, Team 95, Nature’s Energy- Biogas GenerationPower outages meant that Dalphine could only access the team via her cellphone. Dalphine’s own journal is a beautiful insight into social entrepreneurship and its potential for her country, Zimbabwe. It says little about her hardships or team contribution - but her colleagues in her team wrote appreciatively of the insights they gained from her about the needs in a developing country, and their admiration that she travelled 54km to get to an internet cafe to write her part of the team report.

Dianne Tangara, Philippines, Team 30, Live Help Machine - ATM for DonationsDianne spent three days in isolation in hospital - but she had her cellphone and that was enough for her to continue to actively contribute to her global team.

Jacob Tsebekgale, Botswana, Team 107, Make Your Difference - Exchange Between MDC and LDC Jacob was hospitalised in a car accident that caused head injuries and broke his arm and leg. He got his sister to notify the team, and to bring him his cellphone. From hospital he continued to contribute to the team effort, and was a vital member.

PF (Name suppressed for safety), Iran, Team 97, Defence Against the AcidPF was one of nine participants from the Baha’i Institute of Higher Education (BIHE) - an underground university in Iran delivering academic programs in Sciences, Engineering, Business & Management, Humanities, and Social Sciences. Baha’is in Iran are denied access to study, so the BIHE has been forced to operate under the radar in discreet locations, been subject to numerous arrests, periodic raids, mass confiscation of school equipment and general harassment. Aziz Samandari, a graduate of this Global Enterprise Experience, has now served four years of a five year imprisonment term for the “crimes” of “communicating with foreigners and an association with BIHE.” Despite PF’s risks of imprisonment for participating, she contributed actively to her team project to address the needs of people assaulted with acid.

Champion Global Leader Academic Excellence Award

Pierre Sindambiwe, University of Rwanda, Rwanda

Pierre used his voluntary time to support the Rwandan students in the Global Enterprise Experience. He is an inspirational academic, demanding high professional standards while warmly encouraging his students. Pierre has a vision of Rwandan universities developing graduates recognised for their integrity, creative problem solving, technical expertise, practical aptitude, and determination to apply their education to make Rwanda a successful country. He applies modern educational principles such as action learning and student-led learning such that graduates can step up to leadership roles in their future careers.

Champion Social Entrepreneur Award

Kavi Raj Joshi, Tribhuvan University, Nepal

To date 6000 students have participated in the Global Enterprise Experience. We searched through these graduates to find an exemplar who has applied social entrepreneurship skills to create a better world. Kavi Raj Joshi is the first winner of this award. He has led numerous projects to help Nepal including setting up a business incubator, creating an entrepreneurial ecosystem, holding entrepreneur seminars, establishing a business accelerator, and forming his own venture for emergent businesses to access seed finance and mentoring. It speaks highly of Kavi’s integrity and high professional standards, that although he contributed to his global team, he asked that his name not be included on the report because he did not feel he had contributed enough - his efforts had been dedicated to the rescue efforts following the devastating earthquake in Nepal.

Anna McDonald - University of Otago, New Zealand, leader of Team 24, Be a TeetotallerDiep Ngoc Tran - Victoria University, New Zealand, leader of Team 32, Sustainable Health for AllOscar Pipson - Victoria University, New Zealand, leader of Team 51, ExposureHaidee Tooley - Victoria University, New Zealand, leader of Team 80, Happy TeethLauren Gainer- Victoria University, New Zealand, leader of Team 85, Pragati Care

Commitment Awards

There were many stories of extreme hardship and challenges faced by participants in the Global Enterprise Experience. We admire your courage and determination to participate. In selecting the Commitment Award recipients we checked on the stories to verify them through every means available, and we also selected only those recipients who had clearly contributed to a very high standard to their team. So below are the stories of six extraordinary people who we salute.

The Government in Iran banned Baha’is from study so the Baha’i community got 475 volunteer faculty to create an underground university teaching 17 degree programmes. Abs is studying business management. In 2011 Abs brother, Ramin Zibaei, was tortured, interrogated and imprisoned for four years for being a manager of the Baha’i Institute for Higher Education. Despite knowing the personal risks, Abdollah has continued his studies, and participated in the Global Enterprise Experience.

Sunghye Kim, New Zealand, Team 29, Microfinance

Sunghye was hospitalised with appendicitis. As she was being wheeled into emergency surgery she organised for team members to pick up the leadership role

Chris was hospitalised for over a week from a rock climbing accident. He was pleased that the trust, strength and team culture was strong at the time of his accident, and was delighted that his team colleague, Pascal Ah-Yu of Australia, picked up the leadership role.

Richard made an impressive contribution to his team, consulting architects to design the emergency shelter for the team project. He plans to continue with the project raising funding and launching it in Nigeria..

Ayush Manandhar, Nepal, Team109, Nivaa Solar Powered Desk Lamps Ayush spent three days conducting research in Nepal for the team project. Like the many other impressive Nepalis who participated in the Global Enterprise Experience, Ayush coped with an epileptic power supply that failed for over 12 hours per day at unexpected times.

The team project is a business incubator in Nepal. Kavi secured the offer of the incubator space at his university for free, as well as undertaking extensive research with potential business incubator clients.

2013

The 2013 topic was to develop a business concept proposal for a profitable product or service that addresses one of the Millennium Goals of the UNDP (www.undp.org)

UNESCO Commitment Awards

There were many stories of extreme hardship and challenges faced by participants in the Global Enterprise Experience. We admire your courage and determination to participate. In selecting the Commitment Award recipients we checked on the stories to verify them through every means available, and we also selected only those recipients who had clearly contributed to a very high standard to their team. So below are the stories of six extraordinary people who we salute.

Aziz’u’llah won a Commitment Award in a previous year for being an exceptional team member despite being aware of the risks that he was taking as a Baha’i in Iran. Baha’is are banned from study in public universities so he became educated through the Baha’i Institute of Higher Education, a university run by volunteers in kitchens and living rooms across Iran. Sadly Aziz’u’llah has been imprisoned for five years charged with the “crimes” of communicating with foreigners and association with the Baha’i Institute of Higher Education. He has lost his freedom for the very qualities that every other participant in the Global Enterprise Experience is celebrated for achieving – striving for education and building relationships across cultures. To understand this injustice please view www.educationunderfire.com.

Commitment Award

Ajiboye Olufemi Festus, Nigeria, Team 25, Olufemi InstituteTeam members commented on the exceptional passion and local research undertaken by Olufemi. His team leader was so impressed that he said Olufemi “motivated me to a point where I am actually considering going ahead with our business concept in Nigeria, with him as our local partner”. Olufemi relocated himself to a city where he could better access the internet.

Mene shifted towns to be able to access the internet. His sacrifice was greatly appreciated by team members.

Braeden Austen, New Zealand, Team 5, Childcare AppBraeden had a motocross accident which required surgery. In hospital he continued to contribute to his team via cellphone in a mrorphine haze, and arranged for another student to pick up the leadership role for a few days.

Jean Marie Vianney Makabuza, Rwanda, Team 41, The Tyrecycling CompanyJean Marie had a full time secondary school teaching job, study, exams and very poor internet access. He used his cellphone as his computer to contribute his share to the team report.

The team leader failed to fire and this Nigerian student stepped up to the plate to the lead the team and produce a report on the use of plantain in Africa for food and fuel. Internet access was very poor and much work was done with the cellphone.

2012

The 2012 topic was to "Develop a six-page business concept proposal on a profitable product or service that links developed and developing countries for mutual benefit".

Victoria University Champion Global Leader Award

Helena Langer- University of Otago, New Zealand, Team 73, Oyster Mushroom Replacing Syrofoam

Victoria University of Wellington Highly Commended Global Leader

Narayan Mani, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, Team 23, Cassava ChipsKate Stone, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, Team 29, Claw for CoreguajeCharlotte Baddeley, University of Otago, New Zealand, Team 39, Medical Tourism in ColombiaErin Maher, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, Team 48, RecyclotronixErin Dickinson, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, Team 87, One Pound Project and More

UNESCO Commitment Awards

There were many stories of extreme hardship and challenges faced by participants in the Global Enterprise Experience. We admire your courage and determination to participate. In selecting the Commitment Award recipients we checked on the stories to verify them through every means available, and we also selected only those recipients who had clearly contributed to a very high standard to their team. So below are the stories of five extraordinary people who we salute.

Adeboro Seun Samuel, Nigeria, Team 32:Lagos Waste Management InitiativeBoro generated several creative ideas for his team that were insightful, viable and rich in data. His contribution to generating ideas is the finest we have seen from 4500 students who have participated in this contest. He then committed himself to fully contributing to the team effort to develop the chosen idea into a high quality report. Boro achieved this despite the tough challenges that face all participants from Nigeria – poverty, poor internet connection, and lives that are a great deal more complicated to achieve the simplest things than for their colleagues in the developed countries.

P. A. (Name suppressed for safety), Iran, Team 19: RefreshP.A. is a member of the Baha’i Faith in Iran, Iran’s largest religious minority with 300,000 members. For 30 years, Baha’is have been banned from tertiary study, so volunteer professors created an underground university to provide education for them. Their Vice Chancellor has been imprisoned for four years of a 20 year sentence for helping Baha’is to learn and function in a hostile country. Last year five academics were imprisoned for between four and five years merely for teaching IT, science and business to Baha’is. P.A. was in the top 0.01% of all Iranian students in the university entrance exams but was banned entry to university because of her religion. She faces the risk of imprisonment simply for learning and communicating with foreigners – indeed for doing what we are celebrating every other student in this contest for doing. P.A. contributed well to her team, until she was hospitalised with a serious illness.Nevertheless she completed her journal.

Dosubi Joshua Padjo, Nigeria, Team 70: Cane ArtzLike Boro, Joshua faced the extreme hardship of studying in Nigeria. For example in writing his journal he was in an electricity blackout and travelled many kilometres to a friend’s place to use an inverter. What makes Joshua exceptional is that his team leader failed to fire, so Joshua stepped into the team leadership role. He took on this role with grace, working with his colleagues as the first among equals. His team members wrote about his excellent leadership and how he was the powerhouse in uniting members and developing the report. Joshua also took the initiative to do field research on the project idea that he had suggested.

Sara Maya Sanchez, Colombia, Team 60, Warri E-Waste RecyclingThis year there were 149 participants from Colombia of whom all but two completed every requirement of the contest. As participants will know, the Colombians are committed team members shouldering more than their share of the work. Sara was the most outstanding exemplar of Colombian fortitude. Her team leader underperformed so she took on the responsibility of leading her team, demonstrating excellent leadership and communication skills with kindness, firmness and humility. She was the critical team member in developing the team report which was an exceptional piece of work.

Kavi Raj Joshi, Nepal, Team 36: Ecolodge Resort in PeruKavi was an invaluable member of Team 36, contributing ideas, hard work, professionalism and a warm colleagial spirit to his team. This was despite having 11 hour power shedding throughout the day, no easy access to a computer, clashes with his final assignments and exams, and political strikes that crippled the country and made mobility around the Kathmandu nigh impossible. To top it off, Kavi was hospitalized during the contest, yet still completed all requirements.

Global Leader Academic Excellence Award

Prof Tatiana Velez, EAFIT University and Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, ColombiaThis is the first year that this award has been offered. Prof Velez designed an action learning course that drove intercultural skills development. Her students all performced to a very high standard, and in their journals, they wrote glowingly about their professor whose commitment, student engagement and professionalism inspired them to achieve.

2011

The 2011 topic was to "Develop a six-page business concept proposal on a profitable product or service to foster indigenous development".

It may be something that engages indigenous people, is directed at indigenous people, of affects indigenous people in the developed or developing world. This includes a wide range of possibilities such as:

UNESCO Commitment Awards

These students competed with great hardships although still contribute well to their team and produced an excellent report.

Afolayan, Sulaiman Kehinde (Nigeria)Kenny contracted typhoid during the contest but managed to fully contribute to his team including conducting field research on the team topic, Refined Zoborodo. It cost a month of income to be able to connect with the team.

AM Name suppressed for safety (Iran)AM was one of 22 students of the Baha'i Faith participating in the Global Enterprise Experience. In Iran Baha'is are banned from studying in public universities solely because of their faith. So the Baha'i community established their own university run via the internet and in private homes to provide the 300,000 strong community education opportunities for their youth. Three years ago the vice chancellor was imprisoned because of her efforts to provide education and support for the community. Two months after the completion of the 2011 contest word leaked out of Iran that all of the professors have now been arrested. We have also not able to get any response from emails to any of the students and hold grave fears for their safety. AM contributed as an outstanding member of his team, despite the personal risks.

Ibrahim Kamoru Alao (Nigeria)The 2011 Global Enterprise Experience was held during the turbulent Nigerian elections when there were curfews at night. Kamoru was robbed and injured during the violence in his attempts to get to an internet to connect with his global team. He completed his team contribution while in hospital with the help of the doctor.

Julio Cesar Escobar Bedoya (Colombia)Julio had to catch the 3:30am bus to get to an internet for the team meetings which began at 5:30am Colombian time.

Lawer Akrofi (Ghana)Lawer had to contend with a fickle power supply and poor internet connection to join his team. His solution was to climb the powerpole outside his home with his computer to get better coverage when the power was going.

Oyehan Ibrahim Adeniyi (Nigeria)Adeniyi had to cover 17km per day to get to an internet connection. He was arrested for breaking the curfew during the election turmoil in his attempts to get to the internet. His troubles were compounded with a bout of malaria.

Prateekshya Shakya (Nepal)Prateekshya contended with an epileptic power supply that was out for 14 hours of the day - power supply could be at any time of the day or night for an indefinite period. The contest also coincided with her MBA exams. Despite these challenges she contributed fully to her team.

BE Intent Global Leader Award

This was judged from the report, team member feedback, the challenges faced and the journal. Below is the journal.

Global Team Leader Awards

Commitment Awards

X (Name suppressed for his safety), Iran, Team 36

X is an Iranian Baha’i. He has already spent two months in prison solely because of his faith and for being falsely accused of communicating with foreigners. The government will not allow Baha’is to attend public university so academics have provided an education using people’s homes and the internet. For X, and the 11 other Baha’i students in the contest like him, it is very risky to participate in the Global Enterprise Experience.

Jummy is the only girl in a family of 15 to study. Money is very tight so she used the internet café in the early hours of the morning when it was at it cheapest. However she injured herself falling asleep as she walked home.

Nepal is experiencing 12 hours per day of electricity shedding, at uncertain times of the day. Shashir found a way to work, study and participate in this contest by borrowing a laptop and battery from his cousin and using it in the early hours of the morning.

James was unexpectedly called up for youth service at the start of the contest in a village with no electricity and many miles down a dirt road to an internet café. He contracted malaria during the second half of the contest. Remarkably James managed to contribute to his team and get his journal in on time.

Kelvin organised for his university colleagues in Uganda to participate in the Global Enterprise Experience, and then provided them with a great deal of help. However the university’s internet broke down so paying for internet connection was a major struggle.

Sheriff grew up in a village with no electricity, but eventually managed to get an education. The tough circumstances of his upbringing created a commitment to help his fellow citizens. For the contest he sold his cellphone to pay for the internet.

2009

In 2009 the topic was to develop a six page business concept proposal on a profitable product or service to foster a sustainable home, village or city.

Te Kaihau Commitment Awards

Access to the internet is very limited in Rwanda, electricity is fickle and daily life is challenging. The final week of the competition coincided with the annual week long mourning period for the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. Nkomejegusenga Dieudonne, like so many Rwandans, commits his spare time to finding ways to help his fellow Rwandans and community to build a stronger society so that the events of 1994 never re-occur.

Shiva was one of 14 Iranian Baha'i participants this year. University study is banned for people of the Baha'i Faith in Iran, and increasingly also for school aged children. In 1999 volunteer professors were imprisoned for teaching academic subjects to Baha'i youth. Shiva contributed fully to her team despite the personal risks.

Snowflakes (Olaoye Oyinkansola Kofoworola) was using the internet service very late at night when prices were more affordable, when armed robbers attached the cyber cafe attendant and patrons, killing three and beating the rest. From hospital Snowflakes arranged for the doctor to let her use his internet connection to contribute to her team's final report and send her journal.

Jessica's work took her from New Zealand to the UK, Germany and Switzerland where she found internet connections to lead her team. However, on a personal excursion to Poland, she became very ill in a village with no English, and no ready internet access. She arranged for her sister to fly 18,000km to medi-vac her out of Poland and to find a way to get an internet connection to communicate with her team explaining what had happened.

Participants will know the feeling of let down when one or two members of the team disappear into cyberspace. For Jennifer it was her whole team that disappeared emerging only on the last days of the contest. So Jennifer developed the entire report on her own.

Owing to scant rainfall, destruction of powerlines from flooding, reduced water flow from the Himalayas due to global warming, and a collapsed dam, the power supply in Nepal is in critical condition. On some days there was only four hours of electricity, and this could be at any time of the day or night. Suraj was required to put in longer hours at work to cope with the intermittent power, and then find a moment after work when the power was on to connect with the team.

2008

Topic

In 2008 participants had three weeks to develop a six page business concept proposal on a profitable product or services that meets the needs of the poor. The topic was based on the ideas of C K Prahalad published in his book "The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid". Usually we aim to develop products and services for the wealthy however he developed a series of case studies showing that there is a viable market amongst the world's 4 billion poor earning less than $2/day. However to achieve success requires a radical rethink of business strategy to reduce the price by 90%, maintain world class quality, engage in partnership with the consumers, match the product or service to exactly meets the consumers' needs, and more aspects.

Voeveo Commitment AwardsMany participants overcame extraordinary odds or showed great resilience to contribute to their teams:

* Aremu Adewale Abedimi - NigeriaAdewale fasted three days per week to pay for the internet and visited rice growing elders to get ideas for his team's project

* Salawu Muideen Oluwatosin - NigeriaMuideen spent 40% of his money on the internet connection. He had the Global Enterprise Experience, SIFE and his exams all in the same three weeks

* Shergan - Iran (full name suppressed for personal safety)Members of the Baha'i Faith, Iran's largest religious minority, are not allowed to study at university. Students such as S. M. are studying underground but run the risk of persecution and imprisonment.

* Jose Daniel Zamorano Mejia - ColombiaJose recognised there was a vacuum with the leadership and successfully stepped into the role. Jose also took the lead role in designing a project for an employee social development fund.

* Debasish Kumar Das - BangladeshRiots closed their university during the contest but Debasish found a way to continue contributing to the team.

* Wadzanai Murau - ZimbabweWadzanai went out to the villages to do field research on the needs of the poor for her team.

* Daniel Nzohabonimana - RwandaDaniel contracted yellow fever during the contest but completed handing his journal in just a few days late. From a previous GEE contest he put his winnings and GEE contacts towards establishing a gorilla tourist venture and an AIDS centre for 400 children.

* Stanislav Shateev - New ZealandStanislav progressed his GEE project to a successful venture. The scenar is a Russian medical device that provides healing for most ailments. He arranged for the manufacturers, RITM, to gift nine scenar to Uganda. The proposal created a system to enable villagers to establish a profitable scenar business and also provide free services to the AIDS centre.

* Norma Garza Bedolla - MexicoNorma built a complete website to showcase products created by the poor during the three week contest.

* Ashutosh Mani Dixit - NepalAshutosh spent two days living with the very poor in Nepal to gain a better understanding of how to democratise investment. His insights informed the team's project, and also fueled his passion to make a real difference in making capital markets work for the poor.

2007

Topic

"Write a six page businessconcept proposal that would foster a sustainable environment. Your project needs draw on thediversity of your team members and their countries. The proposal is a preliminary investigation of a concept and sets out the rationale as to who your team should receive a grant to undertake a full business plan. Your proposal will need to convince funders that this is a worthwhile project to pursue, with evidence of information, thoughtfulness, understanding of business issues, and an action plan for how your team would proceed with the venture." In addition, each participant is required to submit a one-page journal that outlines their experience and insights. The one page journal is essential to be eligible to win any of the prizes.

2006

“Write a six page business concept proposal on financing economic development that draws on the diversity of your team members and their countries. Teams may propose a scheme for microfinance, financing trade aid, financing women’s entrepreneurship, encouraging entrepreneurship, venture capital, assisting capital flows into developing countries, or any other concept with a financial theme. The winning proposal will demonstrate why the team should be funded to fully plan and implement their concept.”

2005

Topic

"Develop a five page concept proposal for a business venture that will foster unity in diversity. Your proposal must draw on the diversity of your team members and their countries. Your report is a preliminary investigation of a concept and sets out the rationale as to why your team should receive a grant to undertake a full business plan. Your report will need to convince funders that this is a worthwhile project to pursue, with evidence of information, thoughtfulness, understanding of business issue, and an action plan for how your team would proceed with the venture."

2004Topic

"Develop a concept proposal for a business venture involving music that draws on the talents and opportunities in your team members' countries. Your report is a preliminary investigation of a concept and sets out the rationale as to why your team should receive a grant to undertake a full business plan. Your report will need to convince funders that this is a worthwhile project to pursue, with evidence of information, thoughtfulness, understanding of business issues, and an action plan for how your team would proceed with the venture."